


Brooding

by NaniWrites



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, F/M, I am so into the Zuki ship and I cant stop myself, Mutual Pining, One-Sided Attraction, Sokka is also only mentioned as being there but doesn't really do much, but also a mutual attraction, sorry sokka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:40:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23781754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NaniWrites/pseuds/NaniWrites
Summary: Team Avatar is hanging out, but Zuko is feeling miserable. Though he isn't the only one that feels weird about it.
Relationships: Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Suki/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 50





	Brooding

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know why I am so obsessed with this ship, but I am. Making my two favourite characters in the show pine over each other is just *chef's kiss*
> 
> So please enjoy something I speed wrote because I was just so into it!

It’s rare that each member of Team Avatar is available and together with everyone being so busy. When they do find those limited moments, Zuko wishes he could freeze time and remain where his soul feels lighter, his cheeks hurt, and his typically tense shoulders relax. He treasures this time more than the actual treasure in the palace’s vaults. He cares for these meets ups so much, so it is strange to feel misery when surrounded by the happiest people in the four nations.

The others don’t realize since they see that Zuko is just brooding as usual, but Zuko knows exactly why his heart and head are aching and why he is teetering on the edge of burning the table.

Sitting across from him are Suki and Sokka. The couple see each other infrequently, but when they do they tangle their bodied together and don’t let go for their entire visit. Typically the group is used to them being disgustingly in love, especially since Aang and Katara act much worse. Yet this time, Zuko has been sour towards the couple, particularly Sokka, the whole night. And it’s no one’s fault but Zuko’s.

Zuko isn’t quite sure when he started developing feelings for Suki. He knows it wasn’t during the war, since they rarely spoke and they were both committed to other people. Maybe it began when Suki started guarding him and they managed to finally have time together without the others around. Maybe breaking up with Mai made him see Suki in a different light since she was always there to cheer him up when he started to feel a little lonely. Maybe he truly started getting feelings for her when they sparred for the first time. Zuko still blushes thinking about staring up at her as he is pinned to the floor. Every time she giggles his heart burns hotter than the flames he can produce. Whenever Suki tells a joke or teases him, Zuko always laughs even though others may not find her humorous. Each time she offers her assistance when she notices that paperwork and Fire Lord duties are getting to be too much, he can’t help but think how fantastic she would be as Fire Lady. Zuko cannot pinpoint a time where his feelings began, all he knows is that they are there, and they are not going away.

Which has now led him to his current predicament. Sitting across the woman he cares for and her boyfriend, who is also one of Zuko’s best friends. If he wasn’t such good friends with Sokka, Zuko would have probably already lost his temper. Instead, he is slouching at his seat wishing it was him that would get an occasional kiss on the cheek from Suki. That he could have her strong arms wrapped around him. That he would be able to look into her beautiful eyes without guiltily looking away.

Zuko knows that Suki will never like him in the way he dreams of. So all he can do now is brood in silence.

* * *

Suki adores when she gets to see the gang. Fighting in the war together strengthened their bonds, and they all understand each other as well as she understands her Kyoshi Warriors. When Suki met them, she never realized how much she would have missed everyone when they separated again. That is especially true with her boyfriend, Sokka.

They both have their duties, Sokka’s to the Southern Water Tribe and Suki’s to protecting the Fire Lord. Suki often thinks about leaving her position as the chief of the Royal Guards and relocating herself to Sokka’s side. She considers it but strangely the Fire Nation is where she feels like she belongs.

Suki always thought she belonged on Kyoshi Island, but leaving her home and seeing the world made her realize that she could do so much more in her life than running a dojo. When she got the request to be a personal bodyguard to Zuko, she accepted immediately. It gives her a challenge and a chance to lead. Commanding all of the palace’s guards is what her training as a Kyoshi Warrior had led her.

Suki loves Sokka, and even with the great physical distance between them they have never stopped caring strongly for each other. So why is Suki feeling so conflicted? At some point her love for Sokka had changed. Maybe it was the constant distance getting to her and the long waits before she gets a letter from him. She dreams of what their future would look like, but she can’t see him moving to the Fire Nation with her or her moving to the Southern Water Tribe with him. As much as she loves him, she feels trapped in this relationship.

They’ve spoken about it a few months back when the two saw each other in person. Suki voiced her concerns, and Sokka replied with that they should just see where their relationship leads. Both don’t want to end the relationship, and it seems that Suki is the only one that has some unease with it. Sokka is content with the way things are going, but Suki can’t help but think about how her life would have looked if they didn’t rush into a relationship during a war.

Suki knows that her job isn’t the only reason that she is apprehensive of leaving the Fire Nation. A few weeks ago she noticed that her romantic feelings were shifting from Sokka to Zuko. Between constantly having Zuko around and never seeing Sokka, Suki guesses that is why her love life has gotten confusing. Her and Zuko have grown closer than she thought possible and she feels guilty about it.

Zuko rarely smiles, but when he does around her, Suki considers it to be one of her greatest accomplishments. Each time they spar Zuko makes her feel hot everywhere, and it is not just because of him using his bending. He makes her feel important when he asks for suggestions and input on ongoing Fire Lord issues. Even though she doesn’t understand every task that he must do, Zuko always asks for her opinion. Times like that makes her wonder what it would be like to marry Zuko and rule the nation together.

But those thoughts are dangerous. She is happy with Sokka, she really is. Suki just needs to find a way to forget about her feelings for the man she works for, and keep pretending that she doesn’t notice Zuko staring at her all throughout dinner.


End file.
